Housing for a whole company of Marines plus headquarters support staff requires more than one hundred bunks for the Marines' enlisted personnel. Divided into two primary bunkhouses, each one holds sixty bunks, one bunk stacked over another against the wall with a table between each row and a thin bulkhead between the sections. Rather than the blue curtains of the naval enlisted, each bunk has a dark green barrier with the crest of the CMC done in black. The lockers for the Marines are triple the size of the Navy's allowances, each locker holding a Marine's personal bodyarmor and several different sets of uniforms plus combat webbing and helmet. The space physically provided in the lockers might be larger, but the allowance for personal space is less, though the drawers beneath each bunk help alleviate the problem somewhat.

19/07/2049

Lleufer is seated on his bunk with a guitar in his lap. He is softly playing an old instrumental piece, looking at a crisp, newly printed out sheet of music that looks to have been some kind of film capture of an old document. Ynyr is in tanks and tags, his boots still on. He hasn't yet pulled them off for the night and polished them up for tomorrow. He is half sitting back with one boot on the floor and the other set on his bunk as he carefully plays through the music, taking his time to try and get the complicated fingering and the timing refined with practice. Lleu otherwise looks relaxed. An open bottle of decent whiskey is set on the small side table by his bunk with a partial glass filled that he's been sipping a little of now and then.

<FS3> Lleufer rolls Guitar: Success.

Atticus got a couple of days of 'light' training immediately after being released from medical, but they're now a distant memory as he's back on full everything. The wounds and associated recovery time has wiped out most of the physical advantages he had over his fellow trainees, but he is at least no slipping behind as a result. It does mean he's not spending long in the berthings though, just sleeping time really, and it's his rack that he's aiming for now, dog tired, and ready to just zonk out as soon as he clambers up there. He's almost there before he even processes that Lleufer is there, let alone the guitar and whiskey, and offers the MaA a tired, "evening Gunney," as he stops by their bunks to kick off his boots and sorts his gear for the morning.

The Gunny looks up from the song he's been practicing, "Hey, Ommanney. Knox running your ass ragged, I see." Lleu doesn't resume playing for the moment. He reaches over for his drink and takes a small sip before he sets the glass back down. "Care for a wee glass before you pass out? Compliments of Colonel Doc Stone." There is only one glass set out but probably Ynyr can produce something. Lleu shifts to put both of his boots on the deck though he continues to remain seated with the old guitar providing a resting place for his hands. "You eh, have any favorite music?"

Atticus nods slowly to the query about Knox, it's something obvious enough that he doesn't feel the particular need to give an actual verbal reply. Verbal replies take energy, and that's being rationed at the moment. Once his gear is set he turns to look at what is being offered and gives another tired nod, "sure, but let me get up there first, incase I pass out before you've poured." That said he hauls himself up to the upper bunk and sprawls bellydown so he can dangle an arm down to take the offered booze. "Music? No, not really. Lieutenant Zahav gave me some on a player, but that's all I've really got."

"What? Your King's court didn't have music to entertain his knights while you feast? You did have feast days, right?" Lleufer tries to think of something that is ancient enough that it's been handed down from the truly ancient past, long forgotten. As he thinks, he rummages in the slide out drawer in the side table and produces a second half glass. Into that he pours a couple of fingers deep, about two centimeters or a hair more, then hands it up. There are perks to bunking over the MaA's rack, apparently. Lleufer pauses to pull off his boots, then leans back to get comfortable. "Something like this, maybe?" With an adjustment to remove his capo from the guitar's frets, Ynyr begins the notes to begin playing the tune 'Greensleaves'. Something soothing and restful while Atticus enjoys the smokey whiskey.

<FS3> Lleufer rolls Guitar: Good Success.

"It did yes," Atticus replies as he reaches an arm down for the glass, "but I've left all of that behind now." He doesn't say much after that, although his expression does cycle through a few different emotions, pain, regret, sorrow… he should probably never play poker, he'd be hopeless. Taking a sip of the whisky he replies quietly, "yeah, something like that," as Lleu starts the tune, then rolls away from the open side of the bunk onto his back to stare a the blank ceiling above him. He makes it a couple of phrases in before he cracks and has to ask, "sorry Gunny, but do you mind playing something different?"

Ynyr allows the music to fade unfinished, "Nope, don't mind at all. That's just a favorite, one of the truely old melodies from our past so long ago, we don't even know where that one came from anymore." So, Lleufer takes a second to think of something a little more cheerful and upbeat as he takes a taste of his whiskey. It's an Aerilon tune about spring in the mountains and young love ripening - one Atticus may not have heard before. The Gunny knows the words but doesn't sing them. The tune is played softly so not to disturb those who are trying to sleep.

Atticus wants to close his eyes and just listen, but knows if he does then he's just going to pass out and spill the drink all over himself. Rolling back, so it's easier to drink, and so he can talk to Lleu be takes another sip, savouring the flavour for a moment. "Gunny," he then says, when there's a suitable break, "can I get a copy of the picture now? The one my Dad had?" His bunk is bare, so something to stick up on the wall wouldn't go amiss, something to make it his rather than just another rack that he happens to be inhabiting for now.

The song finished, Lleufer lays his guitar aside on his bunk, then gets up, "Yeah. I forgot to give you those, didn't I? We do get busy sometimes." Ynyr goes to his locker, walking in his sock feet. He opens it up and rummages around to pull out a file folder that he'd stuck up against the sidewall. The locker gets closed up and Lleu stands there to have a look at what he got printed out before he comes back to hand the entire folder up to Atticus. Lleu folds his arms on the side of Atticus's bed frame and leans there watching as the Marine recruit opens it up. "That one on top is the photo you asked for that's in my office. A much smaller version. The data disk with it is a digital copy that you can get printed out very large and in detail later, if you want." The Gunny cocks his head and waits for Ommanney to flip through to the next images. Lleu smiles, "That one, I was much, much younger then. Only a Lance Corporal back then, but it's when I first served with your father." Amos himself looks a /lot/ like Atticus, middle aged at most and still in his prime. Following that are some photos from years later of Amos at Crandell, at Santos Ridge before the big battle later. It looks COLD, rugged, harsh. And a few other shots of Amos in combat kit running a Marine exercise, another in his formal dress greys later when he looks at little older. "He taught me a lot, Atticus. He was a good man and I have to admit, I don't think I was ever as scared in all my life as the day I walked into your father's office and asked for permission to get married."

Atticus takes the folder as it's offered, rapidly running out of hands as he tries to juggle both it and the drink. Realising he can't hold both and look inside he sets the folder down on his bunk and then uses the newly freed hand to flip it open and look inside. Sorting through the pictures slowly he look sad, taking a moment with each to study the man in them, his features, expressions, then turns back to Lleu after the last one. "Gunney," he starts, then ducks his head slightly in that defensive way he has developed a habit of doing when he thinks the person he's talking to might not like what he is about to say, "will you show me where he died?" Looking back up he adds quickly, "not now I mean, but sometime? I know it was onboard somewhere." The idea he might have been there already and not know has been weighing on him a little, but it's not an easy thing to ask about.

Lleufer watches Atticus and then nods, "Yeah, I can show you where he was. There's also footage, if you have the stomach to watch it." Ynyr looks at the photos of Amos and he thins his mouth and sighs, "In the instant before it happened, someone put their hand on my shoulder and told me to get town. It was Mallas, a friend of mine who … who we lost in battle. I only wish he could have warned Amos, or warned me sooner in some way I could have .. done something. Knocked Amos and Spree off of that stage or something. Anything. Spree, she … was also a great leader…" His voice tightens up too much to speak and Lleu falls silent. It was a very bad day, a day of great loss.

Atticus isn't ready for footage, might never be, and that's clear enough from his reaction to the knowledge of its existence. He flips the folder closed, then pulls himself back to the rear wall of his bunk and sits with his knees drawn up. How he doesn't send the whiskey flying over his bedding in the maneuver is anyone's guess, but he manages it, somehow. He's clearly still listening though, for the his next question is on the ghosts, "like the pilot who spoke to me?" He knows how Lleufer is feeling though, it had been a terrible day for him too, he just has the benefit of nineteen more years to get a grip on it, even if the majority of those were hijacked. To break the silence though he asks, "which Lords and Ladies did he follow do you know? I want to.. I don't know.. do something, for him, to them, but I don't know what or who."

Lleufer clears his throat, "There is also a /lot/ of footage with your father in it from our various missions. From mission planning, or actual boots on the ground and in action. But it's up to you what you want." Ynyr reaches down for his own whiskey glass then resumes his lean against the bunk as he sips his drink, nursing it along slowly. A nod then, "Yeah, like the pilot." Kelsey. Then Lleu looks thoughtful at the question of Amos' faith, "You know, I never asked him. Ares maybe, but Athena is more likely. He was from Libran, though that doesn't necessarily dictate a man's beliefs." Lleu keeps his baritone low, "You should read about the Lords and Ladies and see if any particular one of them just … resonates more than another with you. Over time, you might shift from favoring one or another, or give prayers to various of them depending on your situation at any given time."

Atticus takes the news of other footage more in his stride, but he doesn't come forward again. Sipping the drink he is making it last, savouring it despite his tiredness. "I was thinking Athena," he agrees with a slow nod, "I remember three figures on the shrine at home, so maybe Ares was another.." He trails off and shrugs a little helplessly, he's tried to remember, he really has, but the detail is gone. At the mention of reading up on all the Gods of Kobol though he nods more firmly. "I've been making offerings to Aurora these past few days, seems appropriate given the circumstances," New beginnings and all that, "I've got a lot of information on them all, but not that much understanding just yet. I think that can only come with time though."

Lleufer finishes off his own whiskey glass and turns it in the light, "That is appropriate. Time can do … amazing things, help things to fall into their rightful place. Good not to try to push some things." He lowers the glass and looks at Atticus, "That's part of having faith I suppose. Believing things will turn out right in time. Until then, we have other things to work and push hard - this war. To survive and free humanity from the machines, if we can."

Atticus watches Lleu finish his drink, then finishes his own, just in case that's a subtle hint from the MaA that it's time to call it a night. Passing the glass back he then takes the folder of pictures and slots it protectively between his legs and his chest, still keeping his knees drawn up. "So say we all," he replies quietly to Lleu's words, clearly having at least learnt that much in the short time he's had to relearn the religion. "I read somewhere that Ares is unofficially the God of the Corp," he starts slowly, in case he's wrong, "what with him being all about war and such. Is that right? It would seem reasonable to focus my reading on him perhaps? To get a handle on if he's for me?"

"So say we all." Lleufer echoes. He turns to set the glasses down and doesn't pour himself anymore. Instead, he reaches down and pulls off his tanks and walks over to his locker, bare chested. There Ynyr opens it up to stuff his tanks into his laundry bag before stripping. "I suppose so, but maybe … you should review the core values of the Corps. The very same sort of values the Model Lines embody, and are echoed even in an older belief that predates the Lords and Lady's. A belief that man in the Corps used to follow. Religious history, I suppose, but it's the /values/ I think are important to take to heart, no matter what names pass your lips in prayers." Lleu gets himself a pair of sweatpants out and steps into them, tugging them up over his bare ass and ties it off. The bottle is sealed and put into the locker before the Gunny closes it up. All sorts of bullet wound scars mar his back, shoulders, all over his torso. Not to mention the scars and tats on his arms. Lleu comes back to take a seat on his bunk and leaves the glasses out, a reminder to wash them up in the morning. He lays back and puts his hands behind his head, listening for Atticus's reply.

Atticus watches Lleu strip, but turns his head away at the point when bare arses are involved. "I might have to save anything beyond the core values until after Gunney Knox is done with me," he confesses, "if he finds I've had spare time to read for pleasure he'll find something else to fill it with." With Ynyr apparently ready to turn in he sets the folder carefully on one of the small shelves and lies down as well, hauling his blanket up over himself as he does so. "I think," he states after a moment or two, "that I want to get the names right, as people understand them. I know that there must be some watching me, for signs I'm not who I say I am now, or that I'm slipping, and I'd rather be as orthodox as I can, to not give them any ammunition. If it doesn't matter the name given, then it won't matter that I'm sticking to the ones everyone knows and understands."

That gets a soft laugh from the bunk below him. "Yeah, it's Knox's job to push you well past what you thought were your limits and expand them. It's part of coming to understand that we are capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for, if we are determined enough. It's a useful if exhaustive lesson for life." There's a silence and then Lleu nods but Atticus can't see it. "That's not a bad idea. Doesn't hurt at all to immerse yourself in our culture, to better understand us. But your heart and mind are your own, Atticus. I think you'll find your own way and people will accept that in time, too." Ynyr pulls down the privacy shield on the side that faces most of the barracks, but leaves the other side open like he usually does. That whole not caring for enclosed, small spaces. "Goodnight, Ommanney." Ynyr turns out his little bunk light that he'd been using to read his sheet music and quiets down to sleep.